System and method for betting on a participant in a group of events

ABSTRACT

A method of managing bets includes receiving first types of bets and second types of bets. Each first type of bet comprises a bet that the number of units earned by a participant in a plurality of events will fall within a first range of numbers. Each second type of bet comprises a bet that the number of units earned by the participant over a course of a plurality of events will fall within a second range of numbers. The total number of units earned by the participant is determined based on the positioning of the participant in each event. The method includes determining whether the first or second type of bets are winning bets. A betting pool is determined based on the total amounts associated with the first and second types of bets. A payout is determined based on the betting pool and the total amounts of the winning bets.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/615,865, filed Sep. 14, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/667,923 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,353,763), filedSep. 22, 2003, which claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application No.60/459,561 filed Mar. 31, 2003, the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to betting on events and, moreparticularly, to a system and method for betting on a participant in agroup of events.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Wagering on sporting events, such as horse races, for example, is alarge and growing industry in many parts of the world. Various types ofbetting products or systems are available for various types of sportingevents For example, typical horse racing bets allow bettors to bet on asingle horse or on several horses in a particular race or series ofraces. For instance, a bettor can bet on a particular horse to finishfirst (win), finish in the top two (place), or finish in the top three(show). A bettor may also make various combination bets with multiplehorses, such as an exacta bet (covering the top two horses in order) ora trifecta bet (covering the top three horses in order). In addition, abettor may bet on a series of races, such as the daily double (winnersof two consecutive races), the pick-three (winners of three consecutiveraces), and the pick-six (winners of six consecutive races), forexample.

In a pari-mutuel betting system, all bets regarding a particular eventare aggregated, a commission (or “take-out”) is taken by the track, andthe remainder is distributed among the winning bettors. For example,pari-mutuel betting systems are commonly used in North America (andother various places throughout the world) for betting on horse races.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a method of managing bets is provided. The method mayinclude receiving one or more first type of bets and one or more secondtype of bets. Each first type has an associated bet amount and comprisesa bet that the total number of units earned by a particular participantover a course of a plurality of events will fall within a first range ofnumbers. Each second type of bet has an associated bet amount andcomprises a second bet that the total number of units earned by theparticular participant in the plurality of events will fall within asecond range of numbers. The total number of units earned by theparticular participant may be determined based at least in part on thepositioning of the particular participant in each of the plurality ofevents. The method may further include determining whether the firsttype of bets or the second type of bets are winning bets based at leastin part on whether the total number of units earned by the particularparticipant falls within the first range of numbers or the second rangeof numbers. A betting pool may be determined based at least in part onthe total of the bet amounts associated with the first type of bets andthe total of the bet amounts associated with the second type of bets,and an amount of a payout may be determined based at least in part onthe betting pool and the total of the bet amounts associated with thewinning bets.

In yet another embodiment, another method of managing bets is provided.The method may include, for each of a plurality of participantsparticipating in one or more of a plurality of events, receiving one ormore participant bets. Each participant bet has an associated bet amountand comprises a bet that the number of units earned by that participantover the course of the plurality of events will exceed a particularindex number before the number of units earned by any other of theplurality of participants exceeds the particular index number. For eachof the plurality of participants, the total number of units earned bythat participant may be determined based at least in part on thepositioning of that participant in at least a portion of the pluralityof events in which that participant participates. The method may furtherinclude determining as the winning participant the participant for whichthe number of units earned by that participant exceeds the particularindex number before the number of units earned by any other of theparticipants exceeds the particular index number. The method may furtherinclude identifying winning participant bets based at least in part onthe determined winning participant.

Various embodiments of the present invention may benefit from numerousadvantages. It should be noted that one or more embodiments may benefitfrom some, none, or all of the advantages discussed below.

One advantage is that a betting provider may allow clients to placeindex bets on the performance of a particular participant in a pluralityof betting events, such as a jockey in a group of horse races or adriver in a group of car races, for example. Thus, bettors may placewagers on particular participants for a series of events, rather than oneach individual event. In addition, a bettor may “cash out” or settle anindex bet during the life of the bet in order to mitigate potentiallosses or lock in guaranteed gains.

Other advantages will be readily apparent to one having ordinary skillin the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and forfurther features and advantages, reference is now made to the followingdescription, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system for receiving and managing indexbets in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a method for placing index bets ina pari-mutuel betting system; and

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a method for placing index bets ina spread betting system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example system 10 for receiving and managing indexbets 80 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.System 10 includes one or more betting system interfaces 14 and abetting system platform 16 coupled by one or more communication networks18. In general, one or more clients 20 may receive betting information(such as event times, betting rules, betting options and odds, forexample) and/or place index bets 80 via betting system interfaces 14.Betting system interfaces 14 communicate such index bets 80 receivedfrom clients 20 to betting system platform 16. Betting system platform16 stores the received index bets 80, determines appropriate odds andpayouts, and communicates such odds and payouts to one or more of thebetting system interfaces 14.

System 10 permits clients 20 to place one or more types of index bets 80on a plurality of betting events having a plurality of eventparticipants, such as a plurality of horse races, dog races, or autoraces, for example. The participants in such betting events may includejockeys, drivers, horses or dogs, for example. For some groups ofevents, the participants in each event are the same. For other groups ofevents, the participants in each event may be different. For example,for an index bet 80 based on a particular jockey in a group of ten horseraces, the set of jockeys riding in each race may change from race torace, and the particular jockey may be racing in only six of the tenraces.

As shown in FIG. 1, particular types of index bets 80 may includeover/under index bets 82, range index bets 84, head-to-head index bets86, purse index bets 88 and/or multi-card index bets 90. Betting systemplatform 16 may establish or permit one or more various types of bettingformats for each type of index bet 80. For example, as discussed below,betting system platform 16 may allow clients 20 to place one or moretypes of index bet 80 according to a pari-mutuel format and/or a spreadbetting format.

In a pari-mutuel betting format, each index bet 80 may have anassociated bet amount, which defines the amount that the client 20placing the index bet 80 wishes to wager on the bet. In a spread bettingformat, each index bet 80 may have an associated quote and unit stake.The unit stake may define the amount per unit (such as per point or perdollar, for example) above or below the quote that the client 20 placingthe index bet 80 wishes to wager. For example, suppose in a spreadbetting format that a client 20 places an index bet 80 for a unit stakeof $2 per point that a particular jockey will score more than 172 points(the quote) over a series of eight races. If the jockey scores 190points, the client 20 would win $36, or (190 points−172points)*($2/point). However, if the jockey scores only 162 points, theclient 20 would lose $20, or (172 points−162 points)*($2/point).

One or more types of index bets 80 may comprise bets, or participantbets, regarding the total number of units earned by one or moreparticular participants in a plurality of betting events, such asparticular participant in a group of horse races, dog races, or autoraces, for example. The betting events may include any events in which aplurality of participants compete for positions. Some types of indexbets 80, such as some over/under index bets 82, for example, maycomprise a bet regarding one particular participant, while other typesof index bets 80, such as some head-to-head bets 84, for example, maycomprise a bet regarding more than one particular participant.

For some index bets 80, the plurality of events may occur within aparticular day, such as a group of horse races or car races for example.For other bets, the plurality of events may occur over a more extendedperiod of time, such as a week, month, season or year, for example. Forexample, a particular index bet 80 may be a bet regarding the totalpurse money won by a particular jockey in the month of June.

The units earned by various participants may comprise any suitable typeof unit, such as wins, positions, points, or monetary units (such asdollars or pounds), for example. Moreover, each index bet 80 maycomprise an associated unit distribution structure that defines therules or structure for distributing units among the participants in eachof the plurality of events. For example, as discussed in greater detailbelow, the unit distribution structure for an index bet 80 may definethe distribution of units over a particular number of positions (such asthe top three finishers, for example) in each of the plurality ofevents. For some index bets 80, the unit distribution structure maycomprise the purse distribution structure, which defines thedistribution of the purse in each of the plurality of events. Forexample, a typical thoroughbred purse distribution structure awards 60%of the purse to the winner, 20% to the second place horse, and lesseramounts to certain other finishers. For other index bets 80, the unitdistribution structure may parallel the typical standardbred pursedistribution structure and award 50 points for a win, 25 points forsecond, 12 points for third, 8 points for fourth and 5 points for fifth.

The unit distribution structure for other index bets 80 may be similarto, or at least based on, such thoroughbred purse distributionstructures or standardbred point distribution structure, and may useunits other than monetary units or points. For dead heats between twoparticipants in an event, the units awarded for the two or morepositions may be added together and divided by two, and each of the twoparticipants may be awarded the resulting number of units. For example,for a dead heat for second place in a horse race in which thestandardbred point distribution structure is used, each of the twoparticipants in the dead heat would be awarded 18.5 points (25 points+12points=37 points/2=18.5 points).

Over/under index bets 82 and range index bets 84 comprise bets that thetotal number of units earned by a particular participant over a courseof a plurality of events will fall within a particular range of numbers.The particular participant is selected from a plurality of participantsthat each participate in at least one of the plurality of events. Forexample, the particular participant may be a particular jockey or driverthat participates in at least two races in a group of races, such as agroup of races on a race card (such as a group of races to be run at atrack in one day, for example).

Over/Under Index Bets

Over/under index bets 82 comprise bets that the total number of unitsearned by a particular participant over a course of a plurality ofevents will either be over or under a particular index number determinedfor the bet. Over/under index bets 82 include both over bets 82A andunder bets 82B. Over bets 82A comprise bets that the total number ofunits earned by the particular participant in the plurality of eventswill fall within the range of numbers above the index number (i.e.,between the index number and infinity, or the maximum possible number ofunits), while under bets 82B comprise bets that the total number ofunits earned by the particular participant in the plurality of eventswill fall within the range of numbers below the index number (i.e.,between zero, or the minimum possible number of units, and the indexnumber). Thus, over/under index bets 82 may be considered as a type ofrange index bets.

The index number for an over/under index bet 82 regarding a particularparticipant may represent the estimated or predicted total number ofunits that will be earned by the particular participant over the courseof the group of events. The index number may be determined by bettingsystem platform 16, and may be based on a variety of parameters, such ashistorical data regarding the type of the plurality of betting events,the particular participant, the number of participants in each of theplurality of events, the type of units (such as points, wins, ordollars, for example), and the unit distribution structure for theplurality of events, for example. In some situations, the index numberfor an over/under index bet 82 regarding a particular participant may bedetermined based at least on a track handicapper's view of the strengthof the mounts in each event. The index number for each over/under indexbet 82 associated with a particular betting location may be provided toclients 20. For example, index numbers for over/under index bets 82 maybe published in the official track program or communicated to clients 20via one or more various betting system interfaces 14.

Clients 20 who think that the particular participant covered by anover/under index bet 82 will earn more units than the index number overthe course of the plurality of events would likely place an over bet82A, while clients 20 who think that the particular participant coveredby an over/under index bet 82 will earn less units than the index numberover the course of the plurality of events would likely place an underbet 82B.

The index number for an over/under index bet 82 may be set at an integerplus some fraction such that landing exactly on the index number isunlikely or impossible. For example, the index number for an over/underindex bet 82 may be set at X and ⅓, where X is an integer. Using afraction such as ⅓ rather than ½ or ¼ may reduce or eliminate thepossibility of the particular participant earning the exact number ofunits as the index number, since participants may earn ½ or ¼ of a unitdue to one or more dead heats.

As the plurality of events covered by an over/under index bet 82 occur,betting system platform 16 may determine the number of units earned bythe particular participant based at least on the positioning of theparticular participant in each events and the relevant unit distributionstructure. Betting system platform 16 may maintain and communicate arunning total of units earned by the particular participant to clients20 via one or more various betting system interfaces 14. Betting systemplatform 16 may determine whether the over bets 82A or under bets 82Bare winning bets after the plurality of events are completed or at someearlier point, such as if the units earned by the particular participantexceed the index number or if it becomes impossible for the particularparticipant to earn the remaining number of units required to reach theindex number, for example.

In a pari-mutuel system, the payout for winning over/under index bets 82may be calculated as follows. First, the total of the bet amounts foreach over bet 82A and the total of the bet amounts for each under bet82B are combined to create a betting pool. A take-out or commission maybe removed from the betting pool. The take-out or commission may be anysuitable amount of the betting pool, such as 10% or 15% of the bettingpool, for example. The remaining portion of the betting pool may then bedivided among all winning bets, in proportion to the bet amount of eachwinning bet.

For example, suppose that Client A and Client B bet $50 and $100respectively on the jockey Campbell to finish “over” the index number,while Client C bet $250 on the jockey Campbell to finish “under” theindex number. The betting pool is thus $400. Assuming the take out is10%, $40 is removed from the betting pool, leaving $360. Suppose thatCampbell finishes “over” the index number, and thus Client A's andClient B's over bets are winning bets. The remaining betting pool ($360)is then divided between Client A and Client B, in proportion to the betamount of each of Client A and Client B. Thus, $120 is paid out toClient A and $240 is paid out to Client B.

In some embodiments, betting system platform 16 may close the bettingpool proximate the start of the first event of the plurality of events.Alternatively, betting system platform 16 may close the betting poolproximate the start of the first event in which the particularparticipant is participating, which may or may not be the first of theplurality of events. In some embodiments, pre-set adjustments may bemade in the event of a late scratch or other similar event, such as acancelled race or the late scratch of one of the horses which was to beridden by the jockey covered by an over/under index bet 82.Alternatively, the track may set rules such that no adjustments are madefor such events.

In some embodiments, betting system platform 16 may offer new over/underindex bets 82 for the same participant after one or more (or after each)of the events in the plurality of events has occurred, to permitadditional betting based on the performance of the participant up tothat point. This may be useful to accommodate clients 20 who miss one ormore of the group of events, such as clients 20 arriving late at thetrack. Each new over/under index bets 82 may comprise a bet regardingthe total number of units that will be earned by the participant in eachof the remaining events (or in other words, the total number of unitsearned by the participant in the plurality of events excluding any ofthe events that have already occurred). A new index number may bedetermined for each new over/under index bet 82 for a particularparticipant, based on the performance of that participant in the eventsthat have already occurred. Generally, if the participant has performedwell and earned a relatively large number of units, the index numberwill increase for subsequent over/under index bets 82 for thatparticipant, and vice versa.

In addition, over/under index bets 82 may be structured such as topermit a client 20 to “cash out,” or request and receive a settlementpayment for his or her bet after one or more of the plurality of eventshave occurred. This may allow a client 20 to limit his or her win/losspossibilities to take advantage of the results of events that haveoccurred. For example, if jockey Campbell (covered by an over/underindex bet 82) were to win an early race on a longshot, the index numberfor a new over/under index bet 82 offered after the early race would behigher than that of the original over/under index bet 82. A client 20who originally placed an over bet 82A on Campbell could capitalize onthe movement of the index number by requesting to terminate his originalbet and receive a settlement payment (i.e., “cashing out”). Thesettlement payment for client 20 may be determined based at least on thedifference between the index number of the original over/under index bet82 and the higher index number of the new over/under index bet 82offered after the early race.

Similarly, if jockey Campbell lost an early race on a heavy favorite,the index number for a new over/under index bet 82 offered after theearly race would be lower than that of the original over/under index bet82. A client 20 who originally placed an over bet 82A on Campbell maywish to mitigate his or her losses by “cashing out.” The settlementpayment for client 20 may be determined based at least on the differencebetween the index number of the original over/under index bet 82 and thelower index number of the new over/under index bet 82 offered after theearly race.

To cash out an index bet 80, a client 20 may use any suitable bettingsystem interface 14 to request that the index bet 80 be settled. Bettingsystem platform 16 may receive the request, determine the appropriatesettlement payment for the client 20, and cancel the original index bet80. Betting system platform 16 may also cause the payment of thesettlement payment to the client 20, such as by communicating a messageto a teller 30 approving the payment of the settlement payment, forexample.

In addition to the pari-mutuel format discussed above, over/under indexbets 82 may be offered in a spread betting format. In the spread bettingformat, an over/under index bet 82 has an associated quote and unitstake. The quote may comprise an index number, such as described above,or pair of index numbers including an upper index number and a lowerindex number, thus creating a spread. The unit stake defines the amountper unit (such as per point or per dollar, for example) above or belowthe quote that the client 20 placing the over/under index bet 82 wishesto wager. In a situation in which the quote comprises a pair or spreadof index numbers, an over bet 82A comprises a bet that the total numberof units earned by the particular participant will be greater than theupper index number, while a lower bet 82B comprises a bet that the totalnumber of units earned by the particular participant will be less thanthe lower index number.

In a spread betting system, the payout for an over/under index bet 82regarding a particular participant may be determined based at least onthe quote, the unit stake, and the total number of units earned by theparticular participant. In one embodiment, the payout is determined bymultiplying the unit stake by the difference between the quote and thetotal number of units earned by the particular participant.

For example, suppose in a spread betting format an over/under index bet82 for a particular driver Jones in a group of car races. The over/underindex bet 82 has a spread quote of 212⅓-214⅓. Suppose a client 20 placesan under bet 82B for a unit stake of $1/point. If Jones ends up scoringa total of 192 points over the course of the plurality of events, theclient 20 would win (212⅓−192)*($1/point), or $20.33. However, if Jonesscored a total of 220 points, the client 20 would lose(220−212⅓)*($1/point), or $7.67. Now supposing that another client 20places an over bet 82A for a unit stake of $1/point. If Jones ends upscoring a total of 220 points over the course of the plurality ofevents, the client 20 would win (220−214⅓)*($1/point), or $5.67.However, if Jones scored only 200 points, the client 20 would lose(214⅓−200)*($1/point), or $14.33.

Range Index Bets

As discussed above, range index bets 84 comprise bets that the totalnumber of units earned by a particular participant over a course of aplurality of events will fall within a particular range of numbers.Betting system platform 16 may define or establish any suitable numberof ranges for each range index bet 84, such as, for example, based uponan index number established by a track handicapper. For example, for aparticular range index bet 84 regarding the number of points earned by ajockey in a group of horse races, betting system platform 16 may defineor establish the following ranges of points: Range 1=under 150; Range2=150−179⅓; Range 3=179⅓−199⅓; Range 4=199⅓−219⅓; Range 5=219⅓-239⅓;Range 6=239⅓-269⅓; and Range 7=over 269⅓.

If the jockey earned a total of 198 points in the designated group ofraces, range index bets 84 on Range 3 would be winning bets. Asdiscussed above with over/under index bets 82, one or more subsequentrange index bets 84 may be offered for the same jockey after one or moreraces occur. Each range of numbers may change for such subsequent rangeindex bets 84, depending on the performance of the jockey up to thatpoint.

The ranges for a particular range index bet 84 may be determined basedat least in part on an index number which represents the estimated orpredicted total number of units that will be earned by the particularparticipant over the course of the group of events. As described above,such index numbers may be determined by a track handicapper or otherwiseby betting system platform 16 based on various parameters.

The payout for range index bets 84 may be determined according totraditional pari-mutuel principles. For example, suppose for the rangeindex bet 84 discussed above that $100 was bet on Range 1, $200 on Range2, $300 on Range 3, $400 on Range 4, $500 on Range 5, $600 on Range 6,and $700 on Range 7. Assume that the take out is 20%. Suppose again thatthe jockey earned a total of 198, and that range index bets 84 on Range3 are winning bets.

The payout for bets on Range 3 may be calculated as follows. First, thetotal of the bet amounts for range index bets 84 made for each range(Ranges 1-7) are combined to create a betting pool, which is equal to$2,800. The 20% take-out (or $560) or commission may be removed from thebetting pool, leaving $2,240, which may then be divided among allwinning bets (i.e., bets on Range 3), in proportion to the bet amount ofeach winning bet.

As discussed above regarding over/under index bets 82, range index bets84 may be structured such as to permit a client 20 to “cash out,” orrequest and receive a settlement payment for his or her range index bet84 after one or more of the plurality of events have occurred. This mayallow a client 20 to limit his or her win/loss possibilities to takeadvantage of the results of events that have occurred, such as discussedabove.

Head-to-Head Index Bets

Head-to-head index bets 86 comprise bets regarding the number of unitsearned by a particular participant over the course of the plurality ofevents as compared to the number of units earned by other participantsin the plurality of events. For example, some head-to-head index bets 86comprise a bet that the number of units earned by a participant willexceed an index number before the number of units earned by any otherparticipant exceeds the index number. Other head-to-head index bets 86comprise a bet that a particular participant will earn more units overthe course of the plurality of events than any other participant.

For a particular group of events, betting system platform 16 may offerhead-to-head index bets 86 for each of the participants participating inany of the group of events. Alternatively, betting system platform 16may offer head-to-head index bets 86 for only a particular subset of theparticipants participating in any of the group of events. For suchsituations, a head-to-head index bet 86 for a particular participant maycomprise a bet that that participant will outperform (such as by earningmore total units or by being the first participant to reach apredetermined index number, as discussed above) only those otherparticipants for whom head-to-head index bets 86 are offered. Thus, forexample, if head-to-head index bets 86 are offered for only threedrivers in a group of races, a head-to-head index bet 86 regarding oneof the drivers comprises a bet that that driver will outperform theother two drivers for which head-to-head index bets 86 are offered,regardless of the performance of any other drivers in the group ofraces.

For head-to-head index bets 86 that comprise a race to a predeterminedindex number, in the event that none of the participants reaches theindex number, the participant with the highest total number of unitswould be the winning participant, in one embodiment, for the purpose ofdetermining which head-to-head index bets 86 are winning bets. Inaddition, in a situation in which two or more participants reach theindex number in the same event, the participant with the highest totalnumber of units after that event would be the winning participant forthe purpose of determining which head-to-head index bets 86 are winningbets. The index number used for head-to-head index bets 86 that comprisea race to an index number may be determined by betting system platform16 based on various parameters.

As with any of the types of index bets 80, head-to-head index bets 86may be offered before the start of the first of the group of events, orafter one or more of the events have occurred. Offering head-to-headindex bets 86 which begin after one or more of the events have occurredmay allow clients 20 who have missed one or more of the group of events,such as clients 20 arriving late at the track, to make head-to-headindex bets 86. In addition, offering head-to-head index bets 86 afterone or more of the events may allow clients 20 more time to analyzevarious events or event participants.

The payout for head-to-head index bets 86 may be determined according totraditional pari-mutuel principles. For example, suppose a group ofraces in which head-to-head index bet 86 are offered for three differentdrivers, Smith, Brown, and Johnson, the index number is 100 points, andthat the take-out is 15%. Suppose that $300 was bet on Smith, $500 onBrown, and $200 on Johnson, and that Smith reaches 100 points first.

The payout for clients 20 who placed head-to-head index bet 86 on Smithmay be calculated as follows. First, the total of the bet amounts forhead-to-head index bets 86 on each of the three drivers are combined tocreate a betting pool, which is equal to $1,000. The 15% take-out (or$150) may be removed from the betting pool, leaving $850, which may thenbe divided among all winning bets (i.e., bets on Smith), in proportionto the bet amount of each winning bet.

As discussed above regarding over/under index bets 82 and range indexbets 84, head-to-head index bet 86 may be structured such as to permit aclient 20 to “cash out,” or request and receive a settlement payment forhis or her head-to-head index bet 86 after one or more of the pluralityof events have occurred. This may allow a client 20 to limit his or herwin/loss possibilities to take advantage of the results of events thathave occurred, such as discussed above.

Purse Index Bets

Purse index bets 88 may comprise any of the types of index bets 80described above in which the relevant units is the amount of purse moneyearned or won by a particular participant in the plurality of events.Thus, for purse index bets 88, the unit distribution structure is equalto the purse distribution structure for each of the events. Thus,instead of using points or some other form of units, purse index bets 88are based on the amount of purse money won by the participant (or theparticipant's horses) over the course of the groups of events.

For one or more types of purse index bets 88, an index number may bedetermined which represents an amount of purse money to be earned by theparticipant (or the participant's horses) over the course of the groupsof events. Thus, for over/under purse index bets 88, a track handicapperor betting system platform 16 could establish an amount of purse money(such as $45,000, for example) as an index number for clients 20 toplace bets on whether the designated participant will win more or lesspurse money than the index number.

Unlike index bets 80 which are based on a point system as describedabove, purse index bets 88 distinguish between winning races withdifferent size purses. Thus, purse index bets 88 may distinguish betweenwinning high-stakes (or important) races and winning an ordinaryclaiming race. To help clients 20 calculate the possible purse monies tobe won in order to analyze and place purse index bets 88, betting systemplatform 16 may provide to clients 20 via one or more betting systeminterfaces 14 a breakdown of the amount to be awarded to each finisher(or a particular number of top finishers) in each event in the group ofevent.

Various types of purse index bets 88 may be offered using pari-mutueland/or spread betting formats, such as described above with reference toover/under index bets 82, range index bets 84, and head-to-head indexbets 86.

Multi-Card Index Bets

Multi-card index bets 90 comprise any of the types of index bets 80described above in which the group of events occur over an extendedperiod of time, which may include multiple “cards,” or subsets ofevents. Example multi-card index bets 90 may include bets regarding thejockey, driver (or other type of participant) of the week, month, seasonor year, in which the winning participant is determined in any of avariety of manners, such as by wins, purse money, or according to a unitdistribution structure as discussed above, for example.

In some embodiments, for particular head-to-head multi-card index bet90, each multi-card index bet 90 regarding a particular participantcomprises a first bet portion regarding the number of units earned bythat participant in a subset of the plurality of events and a second betportion regarding the number of units earned by that participant in theplurality of events. For example, the first bet portion of eachmulti-card index bet 90 may comprise a bet that the number of unitsearned by the designated participant in the subset of the plurality ofevents will be greater than the number of units earned by any of theother participants in the subset of the plurality of events, while thesecond bet portion comprises a bet that the number of units earned bythe designated participant in the plurality of events will be greaterthan the number of units earned by any of the other participants in theplurality of events. For example, a particular head-to-head multi-cardindex bet 90 on a particular jockey Campbell may include a first betportion regarding the number of wins that the jockey Campbell will winthroughout June, 2003 and a second bet portion regarding the number ofwins that the jockey Campbell will win throughout all of 2003.

A predetermined percentage of the betting pool collected for suchmulti-card index bet 90 may be designated for each bet portion of themulti-card index bet 90. A first payout amount may be determined for thefirst bet portion based at least on the collected betting pool and thepredetermined percentage of the betting pool allocated for winning thefirst bet portion, and a second payout amount may be determined for thesecond bet portion based at least in part on the betting pool and thepredetermined percentage of the betting pool allocated for winning thesecond bet portion.

For example, supposing a client 20 placed a $10 multi-card index bet 90on jockey Armstrong at the start of June at Belmont Park. Assuming a 20%take-out and that the total pool is divided equally between a Junejockey pool and a end-of-season jockey pool, $4 of that $10 would beallocated to the June jockey pool and $4 would be allocated to theend-of-season jockey pool. If a total of $100,000 was bet in the jockeypool, $40,000 may be divided among those clients 20 who correctly bet onthe leading jockey for June, while the remaining $40,000 may be placedin the end-of-season pool and later divided among those clients 20 whocorrectly bet on the leading jockey for the season.

The payout for such multi-portion multi-card index bets 90 may bedetermined as follows. In the example discussed above, suppose that ofthe $100,000 jockey pool, $30,000 was bet on jockey Armstrong, $50,000was bet on jockey Vincent, $10,000 was bet on jockey McGee, and $10,000was bet on jockey Luis. With a 20% take-out, assuming Armstrong was theleading rider in June, the payout for the portion of the bet coveringJune would be $1.33 for each $1 bet on Armstrong ($100,000−$20,000take-out=$80,000/2 equal portions of the pool=$40,000 to be paid out onthe $30,000 bet on Armstrong=$1.33 for each $1 bet on Armstrong). Theremaining $40,000 would remain in the pool to be paid to those clients20 who correctly bet on the leading jockey for the season. Supposingthat Vincent was the leading jockey for the season, the $40,000 would bedivided among clients 20 who bet on Vincent, in proportion to the sizeof such bets. In other words, the payout for the portion of the betcovering the entire season would be $0.80 for each $1 bet on Vincent($40,000 to be paid out on the $50,000 bet on Vincent=$0.80 for each $1bet on Vincent).

Betting system interfaces 14 may include any suitable interface betweena client 20 and betting system platform 16. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, betting system interfaces 14 may include physical interfaces,such as track interfaces 26 and/or off-track interfaces 28. Trackinterfaces 26 are generally located at a track, while off-trackinterfaces 28 are generally located at an off-track-betting (OTB)establishment, such as an OTB parlor. Track interfaces 26 and off-trackinterfaces 28 may include tellers 30, which may receive index bets 80from and distribute payouts to clients 20, and/or monitors 32, which maybe viewed by clients 20 to monitor betting information such as the eventtime, the current odds, and the projected or actual payouts for variousindex bets 80, for example. In some situations, such information may beupdated substantially in real time or at preset intervals (such as every30 seconds, for example) as new index bets 80 are placed and/or asinformation regarding the event changes, for example. Monitors 32 mayinclude, for example, tote-boards or closed-circuit televisions locatedat a track or OTB establishment.

Track interfaces 26 and/or off-track interfaces 28 may also include oneor more self-service betting machines 33. In some embodiment,self-service betting machines 33 allow clients 20 to insert payment intothe machine (such as cash or by using a voucher or a credit or debitcard), place one or more bets 80 and receive a printout (such as aticket, for example) indicating the bet or bets placed. Printouts forwinning bets may be inserted into the self-service betting machine, suchas to receive a payment voucher (which may be used to receive a payoutfrom a teller 30) or to place additional index bets 80. In otherembodiments, self-service betting machines 33 allow clients 20 to use acredit card, a debit card, or a smart card to place index bets 80. Thecredit or debit card may have an associated account, which may be abetting account provided and/or managed by a betting account providerusing, for example, a centralized computer system. The smart card mayitself store information regarding a betting account and various bets,or may also be linked to a betting account using a centralized computersystem. In some embodiments, after the betting event is completed, aclient 20 may insert or swipe his or her credit, debit, or smart card inthe self-service betting machines 33 in order to update the balance onthe card. Self-service betting machines 33 may also allow the client 20to print out payment vouchers which may be presented to a teller 30 inorder to receive payments.

As shown in FIG. 1, betting system interfaces 14 may also includevarious non-physical interfaces, such as one or more telephone operators34 and one or more websites 36. Clients 20 may access or communicatewith such non-physical interfaces via one or more communication networks44. Communication networks 44 may include one or more servers, routers,switches, repeaters, backbones, links and/or any other appropriate typeof communication devices coupled by links such as wire line, optical,wireless, or other appropriate links. In general, communication network44 may include any interconnection found on any communication network,such as a telephone network, a local area network (LAN), metropolitanarea network (MAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, portions ofthe Internet, or any other data exchange system. To access bettingsystem interface 14 using communication networks 44, clients 20 may usea computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cell-phone, a remotepaging device, an electronic mail communication device, a handheldbetting device, or any other suitable mobile device. In certainembodiments, clients 20 may receive any suitable information, such asbetting information, from betting system platform 16 via mobile devicesusing, for example, communication networks 44 and betting systeminterfaces 14.

Telephone operators 34 may communicate betting information to, and takeindex bets 80 from, clients 20. Similarly, websites 36 may communicatebetting information to clients 20 and allow clients 20 to place indexbets 80. One or more of such websites 36 may be hosted by one or moreservers associated with system 10, which server or servers may also hostbetting system platform 16 in some embodiments. In some embodiments,betting information available to clients 20 via websites 36 may beupdated substantially in real time or at preset intervals (such as every30 seconds, for example) as new index bets 80 are placed and/or asinformation regarding the event changes, for example.

In some embodiments, one or more websites 36 may be provided by, orassociated with, an Internet betting provider 46, for example. Internetbetting provider 46 may provide Internet account wagering by providingonline betting accounts to one or more clients 20. Using an onlinebetting account, a client 20 may interface with one or more websites 36associated with the Internet betting provider 46 in order to fund theaccount, view betting information regarding betting events, and placebets. Such online betting accounts may include one or more various typesof accounts, such as deposit accounts, credit accounts, stop-lossaccounts, and hybrid accounts, for example.

As discussed above, betting system platform 16 is operable to receiveindex bets 80 from betting system interfaces 14, store the receivedindex bets 80, determine appropriate index numbers, quotes, odds and/orpayouts, and communicate such index numbers, quotes, odds and/or payoutsto one or more of the betting system interfaces 14, which may thendisplay such index numbers, quotes, odds and/or payouts to clients 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, betting system platform 16 includes a processor 38coupled to a memory 40. Processor 38 is generally operable to executevarious algorithms or calculations to determine current bet data 50,such as index numbers 51, bet amounts 52, betting pools 54 and/orpotential payout data 56. Processor 38 may comprise any suitableprocessor that executes a betting system software application 42 orother computer instructions, such as a central processing unit (CPU) orother microprocessor, and may include any suitable number of processorsworking together. Memory 40 may comprise one or more memory devicessuitable to facilitate execution of the computer instructions, such asone or more random access memories (RAMs), read-only memories (ROMs),dynamic random access memories (DRAMs), fast cycle RAMs (FCRAMs), staticRAM (SRAMs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), erasableprogrammable read-only memories (EPROMs), electrically erasableprogrammable read-only memories (EEPROMs), microcontrollers, ormicroprocessors.

Memory 40 is generally operable to store various information that may beused by processor 38 in determining index numbers, quotes, odds and/orpayouts. For example, memory 40 may comprise any suitable number ofdatabases, which may be co-located or physically and/or geographicallydistributed. In the example shown in FIG. 1, memory 40 may store any orall of the following: betting system software application 42, currentbet data 50, one or more event parameters 58, one or more bet parameters60, one or more calculation rules 62, one or more event results 64, andone or more bet results 66.

Event parameters 58 may comprise various parameters of one or morebetting events, such as, for example, the type of event, the time, dateand location of the event and/or the number (or in some cases, the name)of each of the participants in the event. Bet parameters 60 may comprisevarious parameters of one or more received index bets 80, such as theidentity of the client 20 who placed the bet 80, the manner in which thebet 80 was placed (such as via telephone, the Internet, or in person ata track or OTB establishment, for example), the type of bet 80, thecommission rate on the bet 80, the participant or participants coveredby the bet 80 and/or the amount of the bet 80, for example. Calculationrules 62 may comprise various equations or other algorithms to be usedby processor 38 in determining various current bet data 50. Eventresults 64 may comprise various data regarding the results of one ormore betting events, such as the final position of each participant inan event, whether there was a tie or dead heat for any position and/orwhether any participants did not finish the event, for example. Betresults 66 may comprise various data regarding the results of variousindex bets 80, such as the identity of the client 20 who placed the bet80, whether the bet 80 was a winning bet, the determined payout for thebet 80 and/or whether the payout was distributed to the client 20, forexample.

As discussed above, one or more communication networks 18 couple andfacilitate wireless or wireline communication between one or morebetting system interfaces 14 and betting system platform 16. Eachcommunication network 18 may include one or more servers, routers,switches, repeaters, backbones, links and/or any other appropriate typeof communication devices coupled by links such as wire line, optical,wireless, or other appropriate links. In general, each communicationnetwork 18 may include any interconnection found on any communicationnetwork, such as a local area network (LAN), metropolitan area network(MAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, portions of the Internet,or any other data exchange system.

As discussed above, processor 38 is operable to execute betting systemsoftware application 42 to determine current bet data 50, such as indexnumbers 51, bet amounts 52, betting pools 54 and/or potential payoutdata 56. Processor 38 may determine such current bet data 50 based atleast on data received from memory 40 and/or one or more betting systeminterfaces 14. In addition, processor 38 may update such current betdata 50 based on new information being received by betting systemplatform 16. In some embodiments, processor 38 may update current betdata 50 in real time, substantially in real time, or at preset intervals(such as every 30 seconds, for example).

As shown in FIG. 1, current bet data 50 may be communicated to one ormore betting system interfaces 14 via communication network 18, asindicated by arrow 70. Current bet data 50 may then be made available toclients 20, such as via tote boards or monitors 32 located at a track orOTB establishment, for example, or on an appropriate website 36 that maybe accessed by clients 20, for example. In this manner, clients 20 mayhave access to real-time or substantially real-time current bet data 50regarding various betting events.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example method of placing various index bets 80 ina pari-mutuel betting system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. At step 100, one or more types of index bets 80 are offeredby betting system platform 16 for a plurality of events having aplurality of participants. For example, for a day of horse racing atKentucky Downs, betting system platform 16 may offer over/under indexbets 82 for jockey Goodman who is racing in six of the ten races on therace card for that day. Suppose betting system platform 16 assigns anindex number of 85 to the index bets 82 such that the index bets 82include over bets 82A that jockey Goodman will earn 85 or more pointsduring the day and under bets 82B that jockey Goodman will earn lessthan 85 points during the day.

At step 102, various information regarding the types of index bets 80offered at step 100 may be communicated to clients 20 via variousbetting system interfaces 14 shown in FIG. 1, such as monitors 32 at atrack or OTB establishment or various websites 36, for example.Information regarding various types of index bet 80 offered for theplurality of events may also be included in race programs available attracks or OTB establishments. Such information may include, for example,the details of the offered index bets 80, such as the participantcovered by each index bet 80 and/or the rules of each index bet 80, aswell as current bet data 50, such as index numbers 51, bet amounts 52,betting pools 54 and/or potential payout data 56 for the types of indexbet 80 offered by betting system platform 16. In the example discussedabove, betting pools 54 and/or potential payout data 56 for the overbets 82A and under bets 82B for jockey Goodman may be displayed onmonitors 32 and websites 36.

At step 104, clients 20 may place index bets 80 using various bettingsystem interfaces 14 shown in FIG. 1, such as tellers 30 or self-servingmachines 33 at tracks or OTB establishments, or websites 36, forexample. In the example discussed above, clients 20 may wager variousamounts on over bets 82A and under bets 82B for jockey Goodman. At step106, various information regarding the types of index bet 80 placed forthe plurality of events may be updated in real-time, substantially inreal-time, or at regular intervals based on index bets 80 placed byclients 20. In the example discussed above, the betting pools 54 and/orpotential payout data 56 for over bets 82A and under bets 82B for jockeyGoodman may be updated on monitors 32 and websites 36 in real-time,substantially in real-time, or at regular intervals.

At step 108, betting system platform 16 may close the betting onparticular index bets 80 before the start of the first of the pluralityof events covered by the particular index bets 80, such as the firstrace in a group of races, for example. In the example discussed above,betting system platform 16 may close the betting on over bets 82A andunder bets 82B for jockey Goodman just before the start of the firstrace.

At step 110, betting system platform 16 may determine betting pools forindex bets 80 based at least in part on the total amounts wagered oneach type of index bet 80. In the example discussed above, bettingsystem platform 16 may determine a betting pool by calculating the totalamounts wagered on over bets 82A and under bets 82B for jockey Goodman.

At step 112, the plurality of events covered by the index bets 80 occur,such as the running of a group of horse or car races, for example. Inthe example discussed above, the horse races at Kentucky Downs are runat step 112. At step 114, results of the events, including thepositioning of the participants in each event, are received by bettingsystem platform 16.

At step 116, additional index bets 80 may be offered and placed afterone or more of the plurality of events have occurred. The terms of suchlate index bets 80 may be different from the terms of the index bets 80placed before the start of the first event. For example, for over/underindex bets 80, the index number 51 may be adjusted based on the resultsof the events that have already occurred. For range index bets 84, theeach of the ranges may be adjusted from the original ranges. Inaddition, a new betting pool may be opened for new index bets 80 offeredafter a particular number of events have occurred. In the examplediscussed above, over bets 82A and under bets 82B may be offered andplaced after one or more of the races at Kentucky Downs, one or more ofwhich jockey Goodman may have raced in.

At step 118, betting system platform 16 may determine the number ofunits earned various participants in the plurality of events based atleast in part on the positioning of the various participants in eachevent. In the example discussed above, the total number of points earnedby jockey Goodman during the day at Kentucky Downs is calculated basedon the position of jockey Goodman in each of the races in which jockeyGoodman participated.

At step 120, betting system platform 16 may determine which index bets80 are winning bets based at least in part on the number of units earnedby various participants in the plurality of events. In the examplediscussed above, betting system platform 16 may determine whether theover bets 82A or under bets 82B for jockey Goodman are winning betsbased at least in part on whether jockey Goodman earned more or lessthan 85 points, the index number 51 (or some other index number 51 forbets placed at step 116 after one or more of the races had occurred).

At step 122, betting system platform 16 may determine a payout amountfor winning index bets 80 determined at step 120 based at least in parton the betting pool determined at step 110 and the total amount wageredon the winning index bets 80. Betting system platform 16 may alsodetermine payouts for winning index bets 80 placed at step 116 after oneor more events had occurred, based at least in part on the betting poolsassociated with such index bets 80. At step 124, clients 20 who madewinning index bets 80 may collect their payouts through various bettingsystem interfaces 14, such as tellers 30 or self-serving machines 33 attracks or OTB establishments, or websites 36, for example.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example method of placing various index bets 80 ina spread betting system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. At step 150, one or more types of spread-based index bets 80are offered by betting system platform 16 for a plurality of eventshaving a plurality of participants. Betting system platform 16 mayprovide a spread quote for index bets 80 on a particular participant.The spread quote may be defined by an upper index number and a lowerindex number associated with the total number of units potentiallyearned by the participant in the plurality of events. Betting systemplatform 16 may provide over bets 82A that are bets that the totalnumber of units earned by the participant will be greater than the upperindex number, and under bets 82B that are bets that the total number ofunits earned by the participant will be less than the lower indexnumber.

For example, for a day of horse racing at London Downs, betting systemplatform 16 may offer spread-based over/under index bets 82 for jockeyJennings who is racing in six of the ten races on the race card for thatday. Betting system platform 16 may assigns a spread quote of 45-48points, where 48 is the upper index number and 45 is the lower indexnumber. Thus, betting system platform 16 provides over bets 82A that arebets that the total number of units earned during the day by jockeyJennings will be greater than or equal to 48, and under bets 82B thatare bets that the total number of units earned by the jockey Jenningswill be less than or equal to 45.

At step 152, various information regarding the types of spread-basedindex bets 80 offered at step 150 may be communicated to clients 20 viavarious betting system interfaces 14 shown in FIG. 1, such as discussedabove regarding step 102 of FIG. 2. In the example discussed above, thespread quote and/or various current bet data 50 for the over bets 82Aand under bets 82B for jockey Jennings may be displayed on monitors 32and websites 36.

At step 154, clients 20 may place spread-based index bets 80 usingvarious betting system interfaces 14 shown in FIG. 1, such as tellers 30or self-serving machines 33 at tracks or OTB establishments, or websites36, for example. Each index bet 80 may be a particular quote (such asthe upper index number or lower index number of a spread quote) and mayhave an associated unit stake. The quote of the index bet 80 correspondswith the total number of units potentially earned by the designatedparticipant in the plurality of events. In the example discussed above,a first client 20 may place an over bet 82A on jockey Goodman at theupper quote of 48 points and with a unit stake of $10/point, and asecond client 20 may place an under bet 82B on jockey Goodman at thelower quote of 45 points and with a unit stake of $15/point,

At step 156, various information regarding the types of index bet 80placed for the plurality of events may be updated in real-time,substantially in real-time, or at regular intervals based on index bets80 placed by clients 20, such as discussed above regarding step 106 ofFIG. 2.

At step 158, betting system platform 16 may close the betting onparticular spread-based index bets 80 before the start of the first ofthe plurality of events covered by the particular index bets 80, such asthe first race in a group of races, for example. In the examplediscussed above, betting system platform 16 may close the betting onover bets 82A and under bets 82B for jockey Jennings just before thestart of the first race.

At step 160, the plurality of events covered by the index bets 80 occur,such as the running of a group of horse or car races, for example. Inthe example discussed above, the horse races at London Downs are run atstep 160. At step 162, results of the events, including the positioningof the participants in each event, are received by betting systemplatform 16.

At step 164, additional index bets 80 may be offered and placed afterone or more of the plurality of events have occurred. The terms of suchlate index bets 80, including the spread quote, may be different fromthe terms of the index bets 80 placed before the start of the firstevent. For example, the spread quote for such index bets 80 placed afterone or more of the events has occurred may be adjusted based on theresults of the events that have already occurred. In the examplediscussed above, over bets 82A and under bets 82B may be offered andplaced after one or more of the races at London Downs, one or more ofwhich jockey Jennings may have raced in.

At step 166, betting system platform 16 may determine the number ofunits earned various participants in the plurality of events based atleast in part on the positioning of the various participants in eachevent. In the example discussed above, the total number of points earnedby jockey Jennings during the day at London Downs is calculated based onthe position of jockey Jennings in each of the races in which jockeyJennings participated.

At step 168, betting system platform 16 may determine which spread-basedindex bets 80 are winning bets based at least in part on the number ofunits earned by various participants in the plurality of events and thespread quote for the particular index bet 80. In the example discussedabove, betting system platform 16 may determine whether the over bets82A or under bets 82B for jockey Jennings are winning bets based atleast in part on whether jockey Goodman earned less than 45 points,between 45 and 48 points, or more than 48 points.

At step 170, betting system platform 16 may determine a payout amountfor winning spread-based index bets 80 determined at step 168 based atleast in part on the unit stake and the quote of winning index bets 80,and the total number of units earned by the participant covered by theindex bet 80. At step 172, clients 20 who made winning spread-basedindex bets 80 may collect their payouts through various betting systeminterfaces 14, such as tellers 30 or self-serving machines 33 at tracksor OTB establishments, or websites 36, for example.

Although embodiments of the invention and their advantages are describedin detail, a person skilled in the art could make various alterations,additions, and omissions without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

1-52. (canceled)
 53. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor;and at least one memory having instructions stored thereon that areconfigured to cause at least one processor to: receive information abouta first bet comprising a bet amount and a first prediction about a totalnumber of units that will be earned by a first participant over thecourse of a plurality of events, the first participant participating inat least two of the plurality of events; determine the total number ofunits actually earned by the first participant over the course of theplurality of events based at least in part on the positioning of thefirst participant in each of the at least two of the plurality ofevents; determine an outcome of the first bet based at least in part onwhether the total number of units actually earned by the firstparticipant over the course of the plurality of events satisfies thefirst prediction; and cause a payout to be paid on the first bet if thetotal number of units actually earned by the first participant over thecourse of the plurality of events satisfies the first prediction. 54.The apparatus of claim 53, in which the first prediction comprises a betthat the total number of units that will be earned by the firstparticipant over the course of the plurality of events will fall withina first range of numbers.
 55. The apparatus of claim 54, in which theinstructions are further configured to cause the at least one processorto: receive information about one or more second bets that the totalnumber of units earned by the first participant over the course of theplurality of events will fall within a second range of numbers differentfrom the first range of numbers, each second bet having an associatedbet amount, in which the first range of numbers comprises at least afirst number and a second number, and in which the second range ofnumbers comprises a third number and a fourth number that are bothdifferent from the first and second numbers, the one or more second betshaving one or more respective second bet amounts; determine a bettingpool based at least in part on a sum of (1) the one or more second betamounts and (2) all amounts of bets that the total number of unitsearned by a first participant over the course of a plurality of eventswill fall within the first range of numbers; and in which one or morepayouts on one or more winning bets are determined based at least inpart on the betting pool and the total of the bet amounts associatedwith the one or more winning bets.
 56. The apparatus of claim 54, inwhich the instructions are further configured to cause the at least oneprocessor to: determine an index number based on an expected totalnumber of units that are expected to be earned by the first participantover the course of the plurality of events, in which the first range ofnumbers comprises numbers that are both (1) less than the index numberand (2) greater than a non-zero number less than the index number, anddoes not comprise any numbers greater than the index number or less thanthe non-zero number less than the index number; in which the secondrange of numbers comprises numbers greater than the index number andless than a number greater than the index number, and does not compriseany numbers less than the index number or greater than the numbergreater than the index number; and receive a second bet that that thetotal number of units earned by the first participant over the course ofthe plurality of events will fall within the second range of numbers,the second bet having an associated bet amount.
 57. The apparatus ofclaim 56, in which the instructions are further configured to cause theat least one processor to: receive information about one or more secondbets that the total number of units earned by the first participant overthe course of the plurality of events will fall within a second range ofnumbers different from the first range of numbers, each second bethaving a respective bet amount; receive information about one or morethird bets that the total number of units earned by the firstparticipant over the course of the plurality of events will fall withina third range of numbers different from the first and second ranges ofnumbers, each third bet having a respective bet amount; determine abetting pool based on the respective amounts associated with the firstbet, the one or more second bets, and the one or more third bets; causea payout to be paid from the betting pool on each of the one or moresecond bets if the total number of units actually earned by the firstparticipant over the course of the plurality of events is within thesecond range of numbers; and cause a payout to be paid from the bettingpool on each of the one or more third bets if the total number of unitsactually earned by the first participant over the course of theplurality of events is within the third range of numbers.
 58. Theapparatus of claim 57, in which the instructions are further configuredto cause the at least one processor to: determine an index number basedon a predicted total number of units earned by the first participantover the course of the plurality of events; and determine at least twoof the first range of numbers, the second range of numbers, and thethird range of numbers based at least in part on the index number, inwhich the plurality of events comprises a plurality of races and thefirst participant comprises a driver.
 59. The apparatus of claim 58, inwhich the numbers within the first, second, and third ranges do notoverlap.
 60. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the number of unitsearned by the first participant comprises an amount of money earned bythe first participant during the course of the plurality of events. 61.The apparatus of claim 53, in which: the first participant competes inat least two of the plurality of events, a second participant competesin one or more of the plurality of events, a third participant competesin one or more of the plurality of events, the first, second, and thirdparticipants are different participants, and
 62. The apparatus of claim53, in which at least one of the first, second, and third participantsdoes not compete in at least one of the plurality of events.
 63. Theapparatus of claim 53, in which the plurality of events comprises atleast two race events, and wherein the act of determining the totalnumber of units actually earned by the first participant comprises, foreach of the at least two race events: determining the finishing positionof the first participant in the race event; and determining a number ofunits earned by the first participant based at least on the finishingposition of the first participant in the race event.
 64. The apparatusof claim 53, wherein determining the total number of units earned by thefirst participant comprises, for each of at least two of the pluralityof events: determining a position of the first participant; anddetermining a number of units earned by the first participant based atleast on the position of the first participant and a unit distributionstructure defining a distribution of units for each of a plurality ofpositions associated with the event.
 65. The apparatus of claim 64, inwhich the unit distribution structure for each of the at least twoevents comprises a purse distribution structure defining a distributionof a purse over a plurality of positions in the event, and in which, foreach of the plurality of events, at least two participants in the eventcan earn points based on their respective finishing position in thatevent.
 66. The apparatus of claim 53, in which the plurality in whichthe instructions are further configured to cause the at least oneprocessor to: receive, after one or more of the plurality of events hasoccurred, information about a second bet comprising a prediction aboutthe total number of units that will be earned by the first participantover the course of a set of remaining events, the remaining eventscomprising the plurality of events excluding the one or more events thathave occurred, in which the information about the second bet is receivedafter a conclusion of a first of the plurality of events and before abeginning of a second of the plurality of events.
 67. The apparatus ofclaim 66, wherein the first bet and the second bet are received from afirst user, and wherein the combination of the first bet and the secondbet lock in a gain.
 68. The apparatus of claim 53, in which theinstructions are further configured to cause the at least one processorto, after a conclusion of at least a first one of the plurality ofevents and before a beginning of at least has occurred and before astart of at least a second one of the plurality of events: receive arequest to settle the first bet; determine an amount of a settlementpayment for the first bet based at least in part on the positioning ofthe first participant in each of the plurality of events that hasoccurred including the at least first one of the events; and cause thesettlement payment to be paid on the first bet, wherein the first bet isno longer eligible to win after the settlement payment is paid.
 69. Theapparatus of claim 53, in which the first bet is generated based on aselection of the first participant from at least three participants eachparticipating in at least one of the plurality of events.
 70. Theapparatus of claim 53, in which the plurality of events comprises aplurality of horse races.
 71. A method comprising: receiving, by atleast one processor electronically coupled to at least one memory,information about a first bet comprising a bet amount and a firstprediction about a total number of units that will be earned by a firstparticipant over the course of a plurality of events, the firstparticipant participating in at least two of the plurality of events;determining, by the at least one processor, the total number of unitsactually earned by the first participant over the course of theplurality of events based at least in part on the positioning of thefirst participant in each of the at least two of the plurality ofevents; determining, by the at least one processor, an outcome of thefirst bet based at least in part on whether the total number of unitsactually earned by the first participant over the course of theplurality of events satisfies the first prediction; and causing, by theat least one processor, a payout to be paid on the first bet if thetotal number of units actually earned by the first participant over thecourse of the plurality of events satisfies the first prediction.
 72. Anapparatus comprising: means for receiving information about a first betcomprising a bet amount and a first prediction about a total number ofunits that will be earned by a first participant over the course of aplurality of events, the first participant participating in at least twoof the plurality of events; means for determining the total number ofunits actually earned by the first participant over the course of theplurality of events based at least in part on the positioning of thefirst participant in each of the at least two of the plurality ofevents; means for determining an outcome of the first bet based at leastin part on whether the total number of units actually earned by thefirst participant over the course of the plurality of events satisfiesthe first prediction; and means for causing a payout to be paid on thefirst bet if the total number of units actually earned by the firstparticipant over the course of the plurality of events satisfies thefirst prediction.